A web
clearinghouse of information on log scaling and other related areas.
This website
is intended to provide reference and a source of information for those
who participate in roundwood measurement and those who would like to
learn more about it.

Forest Product Conversion Factors for the UNECE Region Geneva Timber and Forest Discussion Paper 49May 2010, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Forestry and Timber Section, 45 pages This
publication provides ratios of raw material input to the output of
wood-based forest products for 16 countries of the UNECE region.
Analysts, policymakers, forest practitioners and forest-based
manufacturers often have a need for this information for understanding
the drivers of efficiency, feasibility and economics of the sector. The
publication includes explanations of the units of measure, the drivers
of the ratios, as well as information on physical properties of
wood-based forest products. Finally, where reported factors were
unavailable, factors from other sources were given. Click here to download a free copy.

The Measurement of RoundwoodMethodologies and Conversion RatiosOctober 2005, Cabi Publishing
288 pages, Hardcover A comprehensive guide to the various methods by
which roundwood and the products of roundwood are measured around the
world. Click
here for more information, reviews and purchase
locations.

Log Scaling Guide for ExportersBulletin No. 2212001, New Zealand Forest Research Institute,
53 pages This
book was written as a guide for those involved in scaling, marketing
and management of export logs. It has procedures and conversions for
five different scaling methods. Click
here for more information and to
purchase.

Procedures for the
Measurement of RoundwoodSecond edition1994, New Zealand Forest Research Institute,
127 pages This manual sets out the official New Zealand
Forest Service procedures for the measurement of roundwood. Click
here for more information and to purchase.

Log Scaling and
Timber Cruising1993, OSU Bookstore, 439 pages, pocket sized A reference for measuring trees and logs
in the US (especially the Western regions). Click
here for more information, and to purchase.

Converting among
Log Scaling Methods: Scribner, International and Doyle Versus Cubic 2004, USFS Forest Products Laboratory, 8
pages,
downloadable PDF A guide to converting with the scaling rules used
in the US versus cubic measure. Click
here to download a free copy.

Forest Measurements2001, Thomas Eugene Avery, Harold
Burkhart, 480 pages,
hardcover This text is intended for
introductory courses in forest measurements. Emphasis is on the
measurement of timber, with detailed coverage on measuring products cut
from tree boles, measuring attributes of standing trees, inventorying
volumes of forest stands, and predicting growth of individual trees and
stands of trees. Background information on statistical methods,
sampling
designs, land measurements, and use of aerial photographs is also
provided. Click
here for more information and to purchase.

Without Fear or
Favour1998, T.G. Honer, 213 pages

This
book is the principle reference for early and current wood measurement
practices and the 230 year evolution of the culling and scaling
profession in Canada. Click
here
for more information and to purchase.

Practical Lumberman1940, Bernard Brereton, 44 pages Bernard
Brereton was a steamship captain operating in the west coast of North
America. He wrote two books on log scale and other information on logs
and lumber which would be of value to those that work with timber as
well as transport it by ship. He was certainly ahead of his time, and
this book is full of timeless and useful information. Mr.
Brereton's describes his book as follows: "If you manufacture lumber or
veneer, buy sell or transport logs or piling by land or water, this is
the book you need. The unique information it contains will prove a
valuable asset to those engaged in the lumber or logging industries or
steamship operations and at the same time it will give those who
possess it a tremendous advantage over those who do not have it". "The
erroneous Scribner, Spaulding, British Columbia and Doyle exorbitant
allowance scales "now in force" are absolutely useless except to trap
the unsophisticated or unwary transporter of logs by land or water. The
intricacies of these pernicious, inconsistent, one-sided, and
mystifying log scales are explained and exposed in this book". click here to download.

Lumber and Log Exporters' Guide1929, Bernard Brereton, 111 pages Bernard
Brereton's complete guide to shipping and measuring logs and lumber.
Full of useful and timeless information including: weight to volume
ratios for western North American timber species, procedures for many
methods of scaling and a plethora of other information on measuring
timber and even running a steamship. Not only did he write the first
significant guides to conversion factors for roundwood, but the log
scale that he designed and bears his name (Brereton log scale) is the
premier method used around the world for tropical timber. He prefaces
the book as follows: "Owing
to the increasing demand from all parts of the world for lumber and
logs from the Douglas fir and California redwood regions, the eyes of
commerce have turned toward the Pacific coast, a land of realities and
opportunities for the far-seeing business man". "The information in
this book is equivalent to a complete educational course in the
operation of steamers engaged in the export lumber and log trade". The
good news is that this book is currently available for purchase, at a
very reasonable price ($6.50), from a book dealer who
currently
has a significant quantity in stock.Click
herefor more information and to
purchase.

This
American organization was founded in the early 1960s and currently is
made up of Timber Measurement professionals encompassing
three
chapters: the Cal-Vada district (California), Intermountain (East of
the Cascade Mountains (Oregon and Washington and all of the Rocky
Mountain states and Black Hills
area), and the Cascade district (Western Oregon, Washington and
Alaska). District meetings are normally held in the Spring
with
the Main body holding its meeting in the fall. Meetings are typically
two-day meetings with relevant speakers, timber measurement workshops
and presentations. Currently the goal of the organization is
to inform
and educate the membership of relevant information and to promote
uniform measurement of timber in the Western part of the US, however,
anyone interested in founding a chapter outside of the current regions
is invited to contact the secretariat with any proposals and any
interested people are invited to become members. Contact the
Timber
Measurement Society.

It was
informally organized in 1951 for the purpose of analyzing and
discussing problems in connection with scaling and grading of logs for
all species in the Douglas fir producing area.The Group was created for the express purpose of
promoting uniformity and standardization of rules and the application
of rules to be applied in scaling and grading logs.It was recognized that timber produced in the
various areas differs in texture, appearance, and overall quality.It was also recognized
that there was a wide divergence of market prices log-wise, and of
manufacturing procedures in these areas.At
the same time, recognition was made of the fact that end products
manufactured are competitive both market-wise and price-wise.

The
Official Rules for Westside and Eastside Log Scaling and Grading and
the Supplement to Official Log Scaling and Grading Rules (Training
Manual) are developed and produced under the auspices of the Northwest
Log Rules Advisory Group.

The
Licensed log scalers of the province of Quebec (AMBLQ) is
an association in existence since 1950 and with a goal of
maintaining, improving and increasing the professional knowledge, skill
and competence of its members in all the related areas of roundwood
measurement and log grade within the province of Quebec. The AMBLQ also
works at maintaining and raising the standing of log scalers in Quebec.
To achieve the above stated aims, the AMBLQ organizes seminars and
workshops and provides a forum for discussion amongst its more than
200 members. Contact
AMBLQ.

The
Swedish Timber Measurement Council, VMR, is
set up to work for a fair, practical, economical and a as far as
possible uniform timber measurement. In order to achieve this goal the
Council takes part among others in investigations of importance for the
timber measurement. The Council also authorizes enterprises working
with timber measurement. The timber measurement in Sweden is carried
out by three impartial Timber Measurement Associations. They are
organized like so called economical associations and measure almost all
the wood raw material consumed by the Swedish forest industry. Contact VMR.

The
2011 meeting of the Timber Measurement
Society was held in the Seattle/Tacoma area of Washington
on April 6-8. There
were two-day's
of presentations on measurement topics, which and a field trip to the Simpson
mill in Tacoma. The 2012 meeting will be held in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.